


nearly 5am

by bellowbacks



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Chapter 2: Horseshoe Overlook (Red Dead Redemption 2), Implied Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 02:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20789441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellowbacks/pseuds/bellowbacks
Summary: John traces his nails over the puckered scars littering Arthur’s chest. “This one here’s fresh, Arth. When did you get got?” he says.





	nearly 5am

John traces his nails over the puckered scars littering Arthur’s chest. “This one here’s fresh, Arth. When did you get got?” he says, all scratchy breath and thick stubble against Arthur’s shoulder.

“When you sent me to pick up that damned oil wagon,” Arthur snorts, making his stomach jerk under John’s hand. “Managed to charm the guard t’get in, but gettin’ out was a different story.”

John huffs out an indignant breath. “If y’hadnt, we’d be hundreds of dollars poorer and Dutch would have our hides,” he replies and lets his chin drop down to touch Arthur’s tan skin.

Arthur chuckles “Sure, sure,” he says and presses his cheek to the top of John’s head, letting his eyes fall closed. “But now I gotta replace my vest.”

John lets his nail dig lightly into the pale skin around Arthur’s stomach. “I’ll buy you one. I owe you.”

“You owe me jack shit, Marston,” Arthur replies and grabs John’s hand. “You do enough for this old man just by bein’ here.” 

John snorts lightly and presses his nose further into Arthur’s bare skin. 

“You could cut your nails, though,” Arthur amends. John rolls his eyes and shifts closer, which Arthur responds in turn to by sinking his fingers into John’s messy, greasy hair. “Or bathe, eventually.”

“Fuck you, Morgan,” John mutters. 

“Mm, maybe later. I ain’t got the stamina you kids got,” Arthur says. 

John snorts. “Shuddup.”

Arthur tugs John closer. “We can in the mornin’, okay?” he says. 

“Yea,” John says, already dozing off. Arthur carefully detangles himself from John before he crashes entirely and pulls his thin blanket over the smaller man’s broad shoulders. 

“Shh, go to sleep, Johnny,” Arthur murmurs as he helps him settle on the cot. John starts snoring lowly, blowing loose strands of his hair back onto his cheek, and Arthur spares him one more fond glance before turning away. He grabs his shirt and throws it on, buttoning a few of the lower buttons haphazardly, and then he grabs his journal and steps out of the tent into the early morning light. 

Nobody was up yet, or if they were they had already left, so Arthur left his feet bare and his pants rolled up to his mid-calf as he walked out to the dock. His shirt was barely buttoned and the cool air brushed his skin. His pencil was tucked into the spine of his journal. 

As the sun rose, he drew the lines of John’s pale back that were etched into his memory as well as anything in this life could be.

**Author's Note:**

> i just did the mission where john makes arthur steal an oil truck to rob a train and it went poorly for me so: here it is. it's my first cowboy writing so be kind but expect more also. twitter is bellowbacks come talk to me abt the cowlads


End file.
